Fireplace.



No. 808,154. .PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. T. A. HILL.

FIREPLACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25.1904.

2 SHEETS--SHHET 1v fizz era for wmxw . Fig. 1.

PATENT OFFICE.

TERELIUS ALLEN HILL, OF MARYVILLE, TENNESSEE.

FIREPLACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed July 25,1904. Serial No. 217,988.

To LY/l/l/ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, TERELIUs ALLEN HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maryville, in the county of Blount and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fireplaces, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates particularly to fireplace blowers and fenders and means for supporting cooking utensils and similar articles in front of a fireplace for warming or heating.

The object of'the invention is to provide a single apparatus which is adapted to be used for any one of the several purposes above named.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fireplace-frame with my improvement applied thereto, the apparatus being so set as to operate as a blower. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, the upper portion being omitted and the apparatus being set to form a horizontal shelf approximately opposite the space usually occupied by the grate-basket. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation illustrating the hinge by which the shiftable section is secured to the yoke. Fig. 5 is a vertical section illustrating the portion of the apparatus shown by Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a rear view of the shiftable section formed of sheet metal, said section being detached from the yoke and the manner of forming it being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 illustrates the shiftable section made of cast-iron, the view being a rear elevation. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 8,on a larger scale. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section on the line 1010 of Fig. 8 looking toward the left.

Referring to said drawings, 1 is the usual metallic frame surrounding the fireplaceopening. On each of the upright opposing inner faces of said frame is a rib or flange 2.

Midway between the upper and lower ends.

of said opposing faces an aperture 3 extends horizontally into or through the said ribs and the adjacent portion of said frame to form a bearing for the yoke, to be hereinafter described. Below said aperture and approximately opposite the space occupied by the fireplace-basket each such rib is provided with a recess 4. Below each of said recesses one or more notches 4 presenting shoulders, maybe formed in the front portion of said ribs. Said recesses 4 and said notches 4 are intended to receive the rear edge of the shifting section,

distance from the aperture or bearing 3 to the upper and lower lines of the frame-opening. Said yoke is secured in said bearings by inserting one of said journals into its bearing and then sprin ing the-other arm toward its companion su ciently to allow the second journal to enter its bearing. Obviously the yoke may be removed in the same manner. The shiftable section 6 is hinged to said yoke in any suitable manner, and said section is of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill either the upper half or the lower half of the opening in said frame. In the sheetmetal form illustrated by the drawings said section has at each end a rearward-directed flange 7, from the middle of the rear edge of which an ear 7 extends toward the opposite end of said section and parallel to said section. In each of said ears are formed two apertures 7 Iocated at opposite sides of the horizontal median line of said section and preferably elongated in the upright direction. The main portion of the yoke rests upon said ears between said apertures, and a cap 8 ,formed of sheet metal, extends over said yoke opposite said ear and is secured to the latter by screwbolts 8 By means of said ears, caps, and screw-bolts a journal box or bearing is formed around the yoke. Each of said caps is preferably set close to the adjacent arm 5 in order that said arms and said caps may engage each other and prevent endwise movement of said section upon said yoke. It will be observed that this is a simple, economical, and efiective method of oining said section and said yoke and that the yoke is a simple and economical device.- If the apertures 7 are elongated, the screw-bolts may be shifted in said apertures and the section 6 thereby transversely adjusted upon the'yoke. The flanges 7 serve to impart rigidity to the section 6. The drawings show also flanges 6 folded I space within the frame 1.

over along the upper and lower margins of said section. These flanges also serve to impart rigidity to the section.

In'Figs. 1 and 2 the yoke 5 is turned upward upon its ournals to its upper limit and the shiftable section fills the upper half of the At the middle of the upper portion of said frame a lug 1 extends downward and is engaged at its rear by a latch-finger 1 on the turning-shaft 1 In Fig. '3 the yoke 5 is turned downward upon its journals and the section 6 is brought into the horizontal position, what was the lower edge of'said section in Figs. 1 and 2 being inserted into the recesses 4 of the ribs 2. In this position the shiftable section constitutes a firm horizontal shelf of suitable dimensions and strength to support various cooking articles which are to be exposed to the heat of the fire in the fireplace. Fig. 3 also indicates by dotted lines two other positions for the section 6 when the latter is to be used as a shelf, said positions being attained by resting the rear edge of said section in the notches 4?. In either of said positions said section is suitable for supporting bread which is to be toasted or other articles which are to be exposed directly to the radiation from the fire. The last three positions described are also adapted to afford access to the space beneath the fireplace-grate for the removal of ashes or to move floor-sweepings into such space or to admit air beneath the mass of fuel. Fig. 3 also shows by dotted lines a fourth position of said section-namely, the upright position in the lower half of the space within said frame. In such position said section serves as a fender and as a check for cutting off or reducing the supply of air to the lower por tion of the fireplace-space when it is desired to retard combustion. Said section 6 may be solid, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or it may be provided with any suitable form of damper for the admission of air. Figs. 6 and 7 show a horizontally-slidable damper 9 applied to the section 6, said section having upright air-slots 9" and said damper having corresponding slots 9 adapted to register with said slots 9" when said damper is shifted horizontally. Obviously said damper may be secured to the section 6 in various ways. Figs. 6 and 7 show a simple and economical method. From the body of the damper near each end of the/latter an car 10 is cut and turned rearward in front of the yoke 5 and provided at its outer edge with a notch 10*, receiving the yoke. Since the yoke is secured to the ears 7 the distance between the body of the section 6 and the yoke is fixed. Hence when the damper 9 is placed between the body of said section and the yoke, as already described, said damper is limited to a horizontal movement between said yoke and said section. In said construction the latchfinger 1 is extended downward and rests between two lugs 10, formed by turning up a suitable piece of sheet metal at each side of the metal of the damper separating the ad jacent slots 9". As will be readily understood from an inspection of the drawings, the turning of said finger will cause the horizontal shifting of said damper.

In Figs. 8, 9, and 10 the shiftable section and the damper are metal castings 11 and 12, respectively. The section 11 has grooved lugs 13 for receiving the yoke. The yoke is secured in said lugs by wire keys extending across the yoke at the side of each of said lugs and through apertures 14' in said lugs and having each end bent partially around the adjacent outer edge of the adjacent lug. Grooved lugs 15, similar to the lugs 13, extend rearward from the damper 12 and partially surround the yoke, whereby said damper is sustained by and guided upon said yoke in the manner already described of the damper 9. The damper 12 has lugs 16, similar to the lugs 10 on the damper 9, and said lugs 16 are engaged by the finger 1 as the lugs 10 of Figs. 6 and 7 are engaged by said finger. The section 11 has on its rear face stiffening-ribs 1 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 show an ear 6 extending rearward and downward from the upper edge of the body of the section 6 and show the turning-shaft 1 of the latchfinger 1 extending through said ear and the adjacent portion of the body of said section. This is a simple and convenient means for forming upper bearings for said shaft.

It is to be noted that my improvement may be applied to a fireplace lacking the frame 1. For example, the shiftable section may be applied to a fireplace built entirely of brick, the apertures 3 and the recesses 41 and notches being formed in the brick.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a fireplace, of a shiftable section of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper half or the lower half of the fireplaceopening, mechanism hinged near the horizontal middle line of the fireplace-opening and near the horizontal middle line of said section, the distance between said hinges relative to the width of said section below its hinge being such as to permit said section to be brought into approximately the horizontal position, and means for engaging the rear edge of said section, substantially as described.

v 2. The combination of a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as described, a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximatelyfill the upper or thelower half of a fireplace-opening, the length of said arms relative to the Width of said section below its hinge being such as to permit said section to be brought into approximately the horizontal position, and a fireplace-frame having tion, substantially as described.

3. The combinationwith a fireplace-frame having recesses, 4, as herein described, of a yoke having arms and journals, substan-.

tially as herein described, and a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of the opening of said frame or to extend by one edge into said recesses, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a fireplace-frame having recesses, 1, and notches, P, as herein described, of a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, and a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of the opening of said frame or to extend by one edge into said recesses, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a fireplace-frame,

of a shiftable section of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper half or the lowerhalf of the opening of said frame, and section supporting mechanism hinged near the horizontal middle line of said frame opening and near the horizontal middle line of said section, said frame having recesses, 41,

for the engagement of one edge of said sec' tion when the latter is set at an angle to said frame substantially as described.

6. The combination with a fireplace-frame, of a shiftable section of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper half or the lower half of the opening of said frame, and section-supporting mechanism hinged near the horizontal middle line of said frameopening and near the horizontal middle line of said section, said frame having recesses, 4, and notches, 45, for the engagement of one edge of said section when the latter is set at an angle to said frame substantially as described.

7. The combination with a yoke having arms and ournals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section having rearward-directed ears to which said yoke is hinged, said section being of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper Y or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, the length of said arms relative to the width of said section below its hinge being such as to permit said section to be brought into approximately the horizontal position, and means for engaging the rear edge of said sec tion, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a .yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and or proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, and mechanism applied to said section for securing the latter when in the upper position, the length of said arms relative to the width of said section below its hinge being such as to permit said section to be brought into approximately the horizontal position, and means for engaging the rear edge of said section, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, the latter resting in bearings at the sides of the fireplace-opening, substantially as herein described, of a sheetmetal shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, said section having at its upper edge an ear, 6', and the latch-fingerturning shaft journaled in said ear and the adjacent portion of the body of said section.

10. The combination With a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplacebpening, and a damper movably supported by said yoke, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fillthe upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, and a damper interposed between said section and said yoke V and slidably supported by the latter, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a. shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, and a damper interposed between said section and said yoke and having ears or lugs slidably engaged by said yoke, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, a damper movably supported by said yoke, and mechanism for manually shifting said damper, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to said yoke and of proper form and dimensions to approximately fill the upper or the lower half of a fireplace-opening, a damper interposed between said section and said yoke and slidably supported by the latter, and mechanism for manually shifting said damper, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a yoke having arms and journals, substantially as herein described, of a shiftable section hinged to LOO posed between said section and said yoke and slidably supported by the latter, and mech- 1' 5 anism for manually shifting said damper and securing said section in the upper position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name, in presence of two Witnesses, this 15th 20 day of July, in the year 1904.

TERELIUS ALLEN HILL.

lVitnesses:

CARRIE R. IVY, S. R. CAVEs. 

